World Trade Organization establishes panels for two different steel cases

The World Trade Organization's Dispute Settlement Body established panels for examining two different steel cases. On March 17, 2006, the Dispute Settlement Body (DSB) established two different panels to examine the antidumping duties imposed by the Mexican government on steel pipes and tubes imported from Guatemala, and the US sunset reviews of antidumping duties on oil country tubular goods (OCTG) imported from Argentina. For the antidumping duty case regarding steel pipes and tubes imported from Guatemala, Guatemala requested for the second time a panel to examine the definitive antidumping duties imposed by the Mexican government on certain steel pipes and tubes imported from Guatemala and the investigation leading to the imposition of these measures initiated by the Mexican investigating authority, the Secretaría de Economía. The Mexican government expressed disappointment over the decision by Guatemala to request the establishment of the panel. The Mexican government still hoped that a mutually satisfactory solution to the dispute could be found. For the sunset reviews of the antidumping duties imposed by the US government on OCTG imported from Argentina, the Argentine government requested the establishment of a compliance panel, considering that the US government failed to comply with the DSB recommendations. The US government expressed disappointment over the recourse of the Argentine government for a compliance panel. However, the US government added that it would accept it, as agreed in the Understanding signed with Argentina.